While recreational marijuana is controversial, many people agree with Gupta’s new stance, and believe that the drug should be legal for medical uses.

While the benefits of smoking pot may be overstated by advocates of marijuana legalization, the new legalization will help researchers study the drugs’ medicinal uses, and better understand how it impacts the body.

Currently only 6% of studies on marijuana analyze its medicinal properties.

Keep in mind, though, that there are negative effects of smoking too much pot or using it for non-medicinal purposes. When overused or abused, pot can cause dependency and mess with your memory and emotions.

There are at least two active chemicals in marijuana that researchers think have medicinal application. Those are cannabidiol (CBD) — which seems to impact the brain without a high— and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — which has pain relieving properties.

Also keep in mind that these same health benefits can be gained by taking THC pills, Dronabinol, which in some ways is more effective than smoked marijuana.